Published Saturday, December 12, 2009

Boy Bishop, bazaar, parade among Yuletide events

The Newnan Times-Herald

It is still almost two weeks until Christmas, but many area churches have already been focused on the traditions surrounding the celebration of Jesus' birth.

Many churches celebrate Advent with specific events, such as the lighting of candles at each service, that draw worshippers' attention to the events in Bethlehem centuries ago. Last Saturday, Providence Baptist Church at Welcome and Sharpsburg Baptist Church held Christmas Bazaar fundraisers.

At Providence, vendors with a wide range of products offered their wares. Gleaming golden peanut brittle was offered at a table near the entrance.

The church's Baptist Women group sold cookbooks and offered raffle tickets for a quilt made by Jenny Adcock.

The Sharpsburg event, sponsored by the Olive Branch women's group, featured homemade items such as jams and jellies and baked goods.

There have been parades in Newnan, Senoia, Haralson and Hogansville, and a parade is set for today at noon in Luthersville. The Budweiser Clydesdales will be part of the Luthersville event.

Church groups often take part in community Christmas parades. First Baptist Church of Hogansville mounted a float that placed second in the parade there.

One of the most unusual -- and ancient -- Advent season events was the Boy Bishop service held at the Cathedral of Christ the King on Dec. 6.

Selecting Nicholas Bishops, or Boy Bishops, was once a popular tradition throughout Europe, from the tip of Italy to the Hebrides in Scotland and from Ireland to Hungary. The ceremony is a lesson in humility and recognition of the wisdom of youthful innocence.

It is a way of symbolically representing the teaching of Christ, "[U]nless you are converted and become as little children, you will by no means enter the kingdom of heaven. Therefore whoever humbles himself as this little child is the greatest in the kingdom of heaven."

On Dec. 6, the service at the cathedral of the Charismatic Episcopal Church began its service with the usual processional hymn and acclamation led by Bishop David Epps. For most of those present, the first time they knew the day's service was going to be somewhat different was when the choir launched into the processional hymn again, and a second procession entered the nave of the church.

At the rear of the procession was a young man in the full regalia of a bishop -- a young man the congregants knew very well but were more accustomed to seeing in the cassock and cotta of an acolyte.

Epps surrendered his crosier and his seat to Thomas Metzger, 12, for the duration of the Sunday services. Metzger presided at the Sunday Service -- except for the Absolution and celebrating Communion -- and he preached a brief sermon he had written himself.

Members of the congregation agreed that it was a creditable first sermon and energetically congratulated the Boy Bishop with a standing ovation.

Last year's Boy Bishop, Jon Paul Landon, now 18, served as Bishop's Chaplain for the Boy Bishop.

The appointment of Boy Bishops honors the feast of St. Nicholas of Myra, patron of children, who is traditionally remembered as having a special, personal concern for the safety and well-being of children. From St. Nicholas Day, Dec. 6, until Holy Innocents, Dec. 28, topsy-turvey was the order of the day in centuries past.

The Boy Bishop took the bishop's throne and wore his regalia, presiding at all services in the cathedral. The altar servers sat in the places of dignity usually occupied by the clergy and the reverend canons of the cathedral filled the roles of altar servers.

The Boy Bishop was empowered to declare extra holidays, and to decree the distribution of sweets to the children of the diocese, paid for from the diocesan treasury.

Though Queen Elizabeth I ended the custom in England, it survived on the European continent until 1799. In modern times, churches have begun to revive the custom, especially in English cathedrals and parishes.

As far is known, Christ the King Church was the first CEC parish to observe the ancient tradition.

Although Metzger's "reign" lasted only one day, both he and the congregation were impressed by the experience. "Maybe one day I'll do something in the Church," he said later.

Metzger is a home school student who enjoys sports, especially baseball. He likes school, but he said in his sermon, he thinks algebra "may be of the devil."

Metzger is an active acolyte at the cathedral and also assists at the Sunday morning coffee fellowships. This year's Boy Bishop is the oldest of three sons of Richard and Sallie Metzger, the younger sons being George and Charles.

Thomas Metzger's maternal grandparents, Bud and Virginia Fretwell of Myrtle Beach, S.C., were also present for the presentation of the Boy Bishop. The Metzger family resides in Peachtree City.